Methods

These patients were followed for up to 40.5 yrs, and retrospective analysis of hospitalization for GI bleeding was performed.

Results

A total of 58 patients with RA were hospitalized for GI bleeding, including 46 patients who had a first episode of bleeding after the diagnosis of RA was made, for a first episode incidence rate of 0.52% per person-year of followup.

Overall survival among all patients with RA was slightly less than expected in the general population, while survival in patients hospitalized for GI bleeding was significantly lower than that of nonhospitalized patients.

In a nested case-control study, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug use was found to be a significant risk factor for hospitalization for GI bleeding.

Conclusion

Estimates of the overall incidence of hospitalization for GI bleeding in this population based cohort of patients with RA may be somewhat lower than some reported for referral populations, but an upward trend in recent years is noted.